Fear is always a good claim to increase sales, and fear of the possible consequences of an accident like the one that occurred in Fukushima was not going to be an exception. With the planet aware of the risks of radiation, many are trying to make their particular August with the sale of "remedies" through the internet.
One of the most publicized products by these websites of dubious origin are the much-mentioned potassium iodide pills. It is true that these pills are used in the event of a nuclear accident to saturate the thyroid gland and prevent radioactive iodine from being fixed in it. However, in no case can they be considered an 'antidote' to radiation, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out in a statement.
"They do not protect against external radiation or radioactive substances other than radioactive iodine. They can cause complications in certain people, for example, those suffering from kidney disorders, which is why the administration of potassium iodide pills should only be carried out if the public health authorities have expressly recommended it, "said the agency in a document prepared after finding that many people were making an indiscriminate stockpiling of drugs of this type.
"They cannot be taken as a preventive measure since they could cause a serious thyroid disorder," agrees Santiago Cuéllar, head of the technical department of the General Council of Official Chambers of Pharmacists.
This specialist also warns of the significant risks involved in buying drugs through the Internet, a way that does not guarantee "neither the quality, nor the safety, nor the efficacy of the products" and that can endanger the health of consumers.
"You always have to refuse these drugs since they do not even allow you to know what exactly you are taking," continues Cuéllar, who recommends complying in any case with the recommendations of the health authorities.
"In the hypothetical event that a similar accident happens in Spain, the presentations of potassium iodide that are usually sold in pharmacies would not even be useful since they are designed to alleviate deficiency states [as in pregnancy] and have a much smaller amount of the active ingredient," he says.
"Potassium iodide safety preparations are held in strategic reserves and should only be administered at the time and in the manner indicated by public health authorities. Using other preparations of this type in another way only poses a risk to health," he concludes.
Source: El Mundo
